Help on a diamond I put on hold (48 hours)

[fookie]

I''m thinking of buying an engagement ring for my hunny with this diamond in a catherdral setting, platinum solitare. Here are the details on the diamond:

from the GIA:

Carat weight: 0.75
Cut: Ideal
Color: F
Clarity: SI2
Depth %: 60.3%
Table %: 57%
Symmetry: Excellent
Polish: Excellent
Girdle: Thin to medium
Culet: None
Fluorescence: None
Measurements: 5.93x5.95x3.58 mm

Price: $2,793.00

Let me know what you guys think as I''m planning on purchasing this in the next 24 hours. Sorry for my newbie status and knowledge.

 

[fookie]

btw, it's a round diamond and the setting is about $600. Is this a good value?

 

[Giangi]

Who says it's ideal? Do you have a Srin or OGI report?

 

[fookie]

hmmm....i'll have to look into that.

 

[Mara]

It could be a nice stone...I would request a Sarin (or OGI etc) report to get more information. You will need the angles of the stone in order to get a better idea of it's proportions--then you can also use the HCA and the Gem Appraisers cut charts to figure more out about the stone.




The setting is very nice and reasonably priced. One other thing to be sure of is that the SI2 is EYE CLEAN...as many SI2's are not. If the inclusion can be hidden by a prong...great...but otherwise--find out where it is and see if it bothers you.

good luck!

 

[fookie]

Thanks Mara,

I appreciate your comments. There isn't a OGI or Sarin report on this stone, but they will give me the pavillion and crown angles from their own labs shortly. The seller is the Blue Nile, so I feel pretty confident in what they have to offer me, but would I be okay with their private lab measurements for those angles???

Many many thanks...You guys "rock"

 

[Mara]

If that is all they can give you, work with it....then if you buy the stone, get it independently appraised so that an unbiased second opinion can be gotten. Be sure your appraiser has access to a Sarin or similar so you can get those angles double checked. BN has a return policy of 30 days so you should be covered regardless.

 

[fookie]

for this appraisal, the stone must not be set i'm assuming?? if it can (which i doubt), it would save some trouble, sine i love their setting too.

 

[Mara]

yes it would be best to have it appraised unset esp for angle verification etc. you could have the stone sent to an independent appraiser (e.g. dave atlas or rich sherwood) from blue nile--have it checked out--approved by the appraiser--and then sent back to BN where they can then set the stone. you will have to pay for shipping most likely and insurance on the stone as it travels but it's not alot of $$ and IMO it's worth it to have peace of mind. many online vendors will do this for you--so hopefully BN will too.

 

[Giangi]

You got great advice from Mara!
But I stress... Be SURE to check it's fairly eye-clean... Try to avoid inclusions right in the middle of the table... Those near the sides can be hidden by a prong... Not bad!

The setting is pretty! Very classy lines!

 

[fookie]

okay.....i got the sarin report from blue nile just now. here are the final numbers:

Carat weight: 0.75
Color: F
Clarity: SI2
Depth %: 60.3%
Table %: 57%
Crown %: 34.5
Pavillion: 40.5
Symmetry: Excellent
Polish: Excellent
Girdle: Thin to medium
Culet: None
Fluorescence: None
Measurements: 5.93x5.95x3.58 mm
Cert: GIA

Price: $2793

what's funny is that they told me that the machine that produces the sarin results report their findings on a little label and that they couldn't fax me that result as well, but could tell me the specs. again, this is blue nile, so i believe they are honest about what they did to examine it but i will get an independent appraisal. the hca visual score was 0.4 with an excellent rating in each of the four catagories.

lemme know what you think, and if it's a fair price!

 

[canadiangrrl]

Looks outstanding Fookie, especially if it's eyeclean. The setting is nice, too. I'd go for it - with a 30 day return policy, you don't have much to lose.

 

[fookie]

thank so much! i appreciate you comments and this board! looks like it might be a winner to me! as far as the instrument that they got the sarin report out of, should i be concerned that they can't fax me a copy of the label? thanks again.

 

[canadiangrrl]

They should be able to email it to you in a jpeg file. A friend of mine purchased from Blue Nile, and when she requested a Sarin, this is how the label was sent to her. Ask if they can do this if not having the label really concerns you.

 

[Mara]

The score on HCA is excellent and I think the price is good as well. I wouldn't worry about the label..sounds like they DO run a Sarin or similar--but they just don't have a true report, they just do the little label which is the mini-way. I would see if they can fax or email over the GIA/AGS report WITH the label stuck on the bottom (it should be anyway I think) and if not, ask why?




But otherwise you sound fine..and I would get the 2nd opinion when you receive the stone/ring to be sure it's the same thing.




Good luck!

 

[Giangi]

Looks GREAT!

Probably they have the entry-model sarin which just prints a small report... Nothing to worry about. If you're gonna be driven crazy by not having the label, ask for a jpeg.

 

[fookie]

thanks guys...i really appreciate your help and will most likely get it tonight! yay!

 

[fookie]

switching gears! i did end up buying the diamond today, but i found a better value in this:



Carat weight: 0.70
Color: H
Clarity: SI2
Depth %: 60.3%
Table %: 57%
Crown %: 33.8
Pavillion %: 40.4
Symmetry: Very good
Polish: Very good
Girdle: Thin to medium, faceted
Culet: None
Fluorescence: None
Measurements: 5.76x5.81x3.49 mm

$2026.00

the hca, gives it a 0.7 visual rating and excellent in all four catagories. it saves me about $767 over the first stone, and i think it's a better value....what do you think???? (i can change it back to the original stone if i want - within 24 hours) thanks again for all your help!!!

 

[Mara]

Hmm personally I would have stuck with the first stone...it will look bigger than the second stone (.15mm does make a difference in visual believe it or not), the second stone only has VG VG polish and symmetry, and also the color on the first stone was much better at F. IMO the savings does not quantify a smaller looking, non-colorless, non EX symmetry stone. The Polish may not matter as much but symmetry is more important.




What about inclusions? You have not mentioned that at all? If I were you, I would find a similar well cut stone that was something like G SI1 and has no eye-visible inclusions..for the same price. Why not drop that F color and up the clarity since that is what people really see..are the inclusions?




(edited to add that I just surfed BN and found about 20 stones that all have EX EX or ID ID that are around .70 - .75c that are under $2800 that are E/F/G/H and SI1/VS2. I would focus more on these than the F SI2 or H SI2). Some have AGS reports so you have the angles directly on the report there...or you can ask for Sarins. I would call up BN and tell them what you definitely want (e.g. EX EX and ctw and color or similar) and have them recommend their best.




My two cents.... best of luck whatever you decide!

 

[fookie]

well part of the reason i chose the toher stone was because of the inclusion. the .70 stone has one feather inclusion right next to the girdle, but it is eye clean. the 0.75 stone however has crystals and clouds which are in more apparent locations.

 

[fookie]

thanks again for all your help....hopefully this will turn out fantastic! wish me luck!

 

[spicolicpa]

Thats a sweet setting!